Apparatus for stacking powder grains



Dec. 5, 1944. R. VAN 00 2,364,113

APPARATUS FOR STACKING POWDER GRAINS Filed Jan. 5, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 z [4 l2 l3 0 Maw Dec. 5, 1944. VAN 00 2,364,113

APPARATUS FOR STACKING POWDER GRAINS Filed Jan. 5, 1942 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 awug-wtom R0]: gri V1111 Hum Patented Dec. 5, 1944 UNITED OFFICE APPARATUS FOR STACKING POWDER GRAINS Robert van R00, United States Army,

' West Point, N. Y. 4

Application January 5, .1942, Serial No. 425,646

5 Claims. (01. 226-2) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manu- "factured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the me of any royalty thereon. s

This invention relates to a device for stacking cylindrical objects, and more particularly to a payment to machine for superimposing numerous parallel.

rows of powder grains end on end.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, sturdy device for quickly and conveniently stacking powder grains in a container.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

i Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the stacking machine in its initial position, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device with the hopper removed to better illustrate the invention, Fig. 3 is an enlarged View in side elevation with parts removed of one of the devices for feeding a series of powder grains to the oscillating ram,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the above mentioned devices,

Fig.5 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view of the oscillating ram, 4

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the ram showing its hinged mounting,

Fig. 7 is a central vertical sectional view of the ram tilted to transfer powder-grains to a container, and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic showing of a battery of stacking machines positioned about a hopper.

Referring to the drawings, loose powder is received in a hopper 9 of conventional design which contains an agitator (not shown). The agitator operates in a well known manner to feed a series of cylindrical powder grains I axially into each of a group of four substantially vertical feed tubes II. The lower ends of the tubes discharge into a set of four converging horizontal guideways I2 which intersect at a common junction I3, see Fig. 2. The superimposed cylindrical powder grains I0 in the feed tubes II form four upright columns with the lowermost grains restof spaced, propeller-like rotors 16 mounted on a vertical shaft I1 and driven by a sheav I8 coupled toa suitable power source (not shown), see Figs. 3 and l. The number of rotors employed on a single shaft is determined by thelength of the grain structure. The shaft I! may be conditioned to permit the removal or addition ofrotors in accordance with the length of the grain structure being operated upon. 4 Likewise the feed tubes are preferably adjustable in height to accommodate longer grains to permit the displacement of the grains from the discharge opening I by the spaced rotors I6. The ends of the guideways the rotors I6 to pass therethrou-gh and come into engagement with the pellet or grain atthe disodically engage powder grains which are directly under the discharge tubes and push them to the right as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.

like ram 2|.

rotors is stopped.

ing in the troughs of the guideways as shown in a feed tube I I. The discharge opening is elevated above the bottom face of the guideway a distance slightly in excess of the length of a grain.

Each rotating device I4 comprises a plurality The rows of powder grains were forced to the right in the guideways I2 asindicated inlFig. 2, and converge at the junction I3 adjoining a disk- The face of the ram is then level with the bottom of the guideways I2. The periphery of the disk slidably engages a vertically extendingwall or collar 22 which has a cut-out portion 23 at the end of junction I3. lhe powder grains are forced orslid on to the ram 2| with their axes remaining perpendicular to the plane of the disk by the action of the rotors which are exerting pressure on f succeeding pellets. When the ram is full of pellets the movement of the Ram 2I has fixedto its base a vertically depending plunger 24 provided with a recess 25. The plunger .is-slidably mounted in a sleeve 26 which is secured to a pair of radially extending horizontal arms 21, see Fig. 6. These arms are in turn secured to a U-shaped rod 28 which is pivoted at its ends to a fixed support 29. The collar 22 is secured to the arcuate portion3l) of the U-shaped rod 28 by suitable means such'as welding. Integral with thesleeve 26 is a horizontal tubular member 3| which houses aspring urged reciprocating bolt 32 as shown in Fig. 5.

The bolt is arranged for selective engagement with the recess 25 and is controlled by an operating rod or lever 33 which is coupled to thepro ..J'ecting end of the bolt. The bolt 32 is normally piston of a fluid cylinder 34 through a suitable linkage connection 35.

When valve 36 is operated, fluid is admitted into the bottom of cylinder 36 and the piston moves upwardly. Ram 2| is thereby tilted 90 to the right as shown in Fig. 7 and the layer of powder grains In is now vertically arranged. The collar is presented in accurate alignment with a ring 31 which is secured to the side of a carriage 38.

The carriage is arranged to support a pair of cylindrical containers 39 whose nominal diameters are that of the size charge desired. One end of the container 39 rests in an annular groove 49 in the ring 31 and serves to orient the container in alignment With the grain confining'collar 22 on the ram. A suitable automatic latch 4| detachably retains the container in the annular groove. A transfer of the layer of powder grains to the container 39 is effected by retracting the bolt 32 from the recess 25 in the plunger 24. This enables the fluid motor to displace the plungerand its interconnected ram to the right as shown in Fig. '7. The ram moves relative to the presently stationary collar 22 and the layer of'pow'der is pushed or transferred into the container 39.

The container 39 is provided with a cylindrical disk follower 42 (Figs. and 7) which is slidably mounted therein and is held in place by friction. This follower is placed in contiguous relationship with the ends of the incoming layer of powder grains andadvances to the right as the powder is forced into the container. The follower maintains the grains in their previously stacked relationship.

Whenthe valve, is operated in a reverse direction, the plunger is retracted and latched and the ram is swung 90 back to the initial horizontal position shown in Fig. 5. The rotors l6 are again put into operation until the ram is filled with a layer of powder grains whereupon the rotors are stopped. The ram is once more tilted, unlatched, and an additional layer of grains is expressed from the confining'collar 22 and forced into the container 39. This operation advances the previously deposited layer and the follower 42 an additional increment of distance into the container. The operation 'isrepeated until the container is'full whereupon a transfer from the container 'to a silk bag is effected inaccordance with the present well known practice.

The carriage'38'which supports the containers 39 moves on a suitable track 43. Two containers are mounted in a predetermined spaced relationship on the carriage so that an empty can is always maintained in readiness to receive a powder charge. When one can is filled, the carriage is indexed or moved on its rails 43 a predetermined distance so that the empty canv is presented in accurate alignment with collar 22 about the tilting ram 2 I. In accordance with one method a pin 44 may be slipped through an aperture 45 in a leg of the carriage and a corresponding aperture in the rail thereby insuring proper alignment of a container 39 with the collar on the ram.

apart are fed from the hopper and enable opera tions to proceed at a rapid rate while utilizing but a small work space.

'The' operationof the device has been explained I claim:

1. In a machine for arranging cylindrical bodies in a layer in a container with their axes in a parallel relationship, a g'uideway for a series of vertically disposedcylindrical bodies, a rotary cam for moving the bodies in 'the guideway, a substantially horizontal platform communicating with one end of the guideway, a support slidably engaging the platform, said support arranged for rotation about a horizontal axis, latch means in- I terconnecting the support and the platform whereby relative movement therebetween is selecform,--said collar extending above the face of the platform substantially the length of a cylindrical in conjunction with the description of the com- 'ponent parts.

'body' and having an opening at the end of the guideway, means for rotating the support and platform toa vertical'position, said means also adapted to displace the platform in the collar upon'release of the latch means'whereby the bodies are transferred in alayer to "a container abutting the end of the collar, said Jsupportro tating means also arranged to return 'theplatform and support to the initial position after a transfer of cylindrical bodies.

2. In a machine for arranging"cylindrical bodies in a layer in a container wit-h'their axes in a parallel relationship, converging guideways for 30' a plurality of series of vertically.disposed:cylindrical bodies, rotary cam means for moving the bodies in the guideways, a substantially'horizontal platformadjoining the converging 'ends'ofthe guideways, a support slidably engaging the platform and arranged for rotation about a 'hor-izontal axis, latch means interconnecting the support and the platform whereby relative movement is selectively controlled, a collar on the support in sliding engagement with the periphery of the platform, said collar extending above the face of the platform substantially the length of a cylindrical bodyand having an inlet at the end of the guideways, means for rotating thesupport and'platform" to a vertical position, said means also adapted to displace the platform in the collar upon release of the latch means Whereby the bodies are transferred in a layer to a container abutting the end of the collar, said support rotating means also arranged to return the platform and support to the initial position after atransfer of a layer of cylindrical bodies.

3. In a machine for arranging bodies in e.

3 layer in a container with their axes in parallel re I lationship a guideway arranged to receive a'series of vertically disposed bodies, means-for. moving the platform is in horizontal position, a rod-belowthe platform and pivoted for movement from connecting the cylinderand plunger whereby the relativemovem'ent therebetween is-controlled, 'a collaron said rod and engaged by'the periphery of the platform, said collarserving to guide the platformand maintain the bodies thereon, means for operating the plunger to rock the rod-and platform'to vertical position, said means also serving toactuate the platform when in vertical "position'with respect to the rod and collar" to transfer'the bodies in a layer'to a containemand return the rod, collar and platform to normalpo sition after the transfer.

*4. In amachine for arranging bodies inn layer in a container with their axesin parallel relationship, a guideway arranged to receive a series of vertically disposed bodies rneans for moving the bodies in the guideway, a platform arranged to receive the bodies in vertical position, a rockable support for the platform, means for rocking the support and platform from horizontal to vertical position; a movable connection between the guideway arranged to receive a series of vertically platform is in horizontal position, a rockable support for the p1atform,va movable connection support and platform, and means for retaining f the bodies in parallelism on the platform in all contemplated positions of the platform, the

means for rocking the platform from horizontal j to vertical position also'serving to actuate the platform when in vertical position to transfer the bodies in a layer to a container.

between said support and platform, means for rocking the platformfrom horizontal to vertical position and returning the platform to horizontal positiornsaid means also serving to actuate the platform when in verticalposition totransfer-the bodies to a container.

5. In a machineof the character described, a

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